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his own beef."

Bill Cohea was raising hogs on a ranch near Jim Sam. Once Jim Sam just loaded a wagon with Bill's hogs and drove them to Globe where he sold them. Of course Cohea challenged him so Jim Sam just gave him the money he had collected for the hogs. He said, "Well, Bill, I was just helping you harvest!" It was all a big joke to Jim Sam.

Once D.C. Sparks was riding with Jim Sam and D C was wearing a new Stetson hat for which he had paid more than a month's wages. D C"s hat blew off and Jim Sam whipped out his pistol and shot the hat full of holes. He said, "Damn, D C, I'm sorry. I thought it was a coyote."

I saw Jim Sam just a few years before he died and he was bent almost double and could hardly walk but he was interested in what I had done in my profession. He almost wore me out with questions about my work, family and other things and he seemed reluctant to let me go. I always thought Jim Sam was "big" in more than his physical size. He raised a nice family and provided much entertainment for those around him.

BUCK BLABON

Buck Blabon was the most prominent person in or around Patagonia in the 30s and 40s. He owned the only service station and garage. He owned a cafe. He repaired every windmill in eastern Santa Cruz County. Nothing of consequence was done in the Patagonia area without Buck's approval.

Once an "Easterner" was having a well drilled on his ranch. Buck told him he would not hit water where the well was being drilled. When the well turned out to be a dry hole the Easterner called Buck to come out and show him where to drill. Buck picked a spot about two hundred feet from the first well and , sure enough, the well was a good one.

Buck was originally a baseball player with the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League. The Angels sold his contract to the Bisbee Bees of the Arizona League and Buck was on a train to report to Bisbee when he met a man who was superintendent of a mine east of Nogales. The mine had constant problems with a large gasoline engine and Buck was an expert on gasoline engines. The man hired Buck to come to the mine and repair the balky engine. After the repair, Buck stayed on as Head Mechanic and Bisbee lost a potential first baseman.

From the very beginning Buck intended to start his own business which he did. He married a local girl and prospered for the next fifty years in Patagonia.

Guin and I rented a house from Buck and his wife, Hilda. It was brand new and became known as "Sam and Guins" house. We became fast friends, attending University ball games and local dances together even though Buck and Hilda were much older than we.

SKY JOYNER